Planter



zsneet sheet 1.

J. A. CUMMING.

(No Model.)

BLANTER.

No. 388,399. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT \OFFICE.

JOHN ALEX. OUMMING, OF CRAWFORD, NEBRASKA.

PLANTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,399, dated August28, 1888.

Application filed July 8, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEX. CUMMING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Crawford, in the county of Dawes and State of N ebraska,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Planters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in planters; and it consists inthe peculiar construction and combination of devices thatwill be morefully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a planterembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line was of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line yy ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating my cottonseed-plant ingattachment.

A represents a plow of the usual construction, of which B is the beam.

0 represents the share; D, the handle which is attached to the landsideand to the rear end of the beam, and E the handle which is attached tothe mold-board of the plow and is connected to the handle D by means ofbars F.

G represents a frame, the construction of which is as follows:

H represents a pair of parallel transverse beams, which are provided atone end with vertical longitudinal slots I. The opposite ends of thebeams H are connected by a beam, K, which is arranged at right angles tothe beams H and bolted on the uppersides thereof.

L represents a rectangular bottomless box, which is arranged between theopposing sides of the beams H 011 the inner side of the beam K. A beam,M, which is parallel with the beam K and with the box L, is bolted tothe under sides of the beams H at a suitable distance from the slottedends thereof. This beam M bears against the inner side of the plowbeam.

N represents a beam which bears against the opposite side of theplow-beam, and has its ends arranged under the slotted ends of the beamsH and connected thereto by means of vertical bolts 0, which pass throughthe beams N and slots I. The plow-beam is thus clamped between the beamsM and N, and the frame G Serial K02 131833. (No model.)

is thereby secured to the plowbeam and extends laterally from the innerside thereof.

On the under edges of the side walls of box L, at the center of thesame, are bearingblocks 1?, in which is journaled a transverserock-shaft, R.

S represents a segmental block, which is attached to the shaft R and isadapted to oscillate therewith, the said block being arranged betweenthe opposing sides of the box L. and having recesses or cups T made inits ends, as shown. In the center of this block is a verticallongitudinal slit, U.

Vrepresents a transverse rod, which conmeets the side walls of the box Labove the block S, and on this red is fulcrumed a rocking blade orstirrer, W, the opposite edges of which are sharpened. The lower end ofthis blade or stirrer extends into the central portion of the slit U,and is secured therein by a pin, X, which is arranged transversely inthe.

block.

Y represents a bolt, which extends up through the center of the beam M,and is provided at its lower end with a pair of cars or lugs, betweenwhich are pivoted the rear ends of a curved arm, Z. The front end ofthis arm is upturned, as at A, and provided with a vertical series ofopenings, B. Near the front end of arm Z the same is widened andprovided with a longitudinal opening of suitable length and width toreceive'a supporting-wheel, O, the said wheel being secured to a shaft,D, that is journaled in the frame formed at the front end of arm Z. Theinner end of this shaft is provided with a crank, E.

To the inner end of the shaft R is attached adepcnding crank-arm, F,which is provided with a vertical series of openings, G.

11 represents a pitman, which has its front end connected to the crankE. The rear end of the said pitman is bifurcated, and thereby adapted toreceive the crank-arm F, and is attached thereto by means of the bolt orpin It, which passes through transverse aligned openings in the pitmanand through either of the series of openings G.

K represents an inclined standard, which has its upper end bent at rightangles to form an arm, L, that bears upon the upper side of the beam Knear the rear end thereof, and is provided with a slot, M, through whichthe bolt that connects the beam K to the end of the rear beam H passes.

N represents a brace-arm, which has its lower end attached to thestandard K and its upper end bent at right angles and arranged on thefront upper side of the beam K, and provided with a slot, 0, throughwhich passes the bolt that connects the front end of the beam K to thefront beam H. By means of these slots and bolts the standard and itsbrace-arm maybe adj ustcdlaterallytoward or from the end of the frame G,as will be readily understood.

1? represents a guard-bar, which has its front end provided with alongitudinal slot R and placed against one side of the front portion, A,ofcurved arm Z. A bolt or screw, S, passes through the slot It", throughone of the openings B in arm Z, and enters the beam, thereby securingthe front end of arm Z at any desired vertical adjustment, and alsosecuring the guard-rod to the arm, as will be readily seen. Theguard-rod is attached to the standard K and projects rearward from thelatter a considerable distance. To the rear end of the guard-rod ispivoted a frame, S in the rear end of which is journaled a wheel, T.

U represents a loop or yoke, which is pivoted to the inner side of frameS and passes around the handle E, the function of the said yoke being tolimit the downward movement of the wheel T.

V represents a seed-spout, which is attached to the box L and dependstherefrom to a suitable depth.

W represents a hopper, which is arranged transversely on the frame G,and has its lower edges bearing upon the beams M and N and its outer endcut away on its lower side, and thereby adapted to fit snugly on theupper side of the box L. To the inner sides of the front and rear wallsof the hopper, at the outer-end thereof, are secured a pair of verticaldepending spring-plates, X, which extend downward in the ends of the boxL and are arranged within a slight distance of the ends of theoscillating block S. The latter is provided on its upper side withprojecting arms Y, which bear against the opposing sides of box L.

Z represents the bottom of the hopper, which has one end pivoted betweenthe front and rear walls of the hopper within a suitable distance of theouter end thereof. The free end of the bottom board, Z, is provided witha vertical end plate, A having the inwardlyprojecting stud B at itsupper end.

G represents a spring-detent, which is arranged on the inner side of oneend of the hopper, and is adapted to engage the under side of the bottomboard, Z, when the latter is raised, in order to sustain the said boardin an inclined position, and thereby adapt it to feed the contents ofthe hopper into the box L, as indicated by solid lines in Fig. 3. Oneend of the hopper has a projecting slotarm, D, which engages a staple orkeeper, E on the upper side of beam K, and from the front and rear wallsof the hopper project studs F which bear against the opposing sides ofthe beams H, and thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the hopper.

G represents a furrow-opener, which is attached to the lower end of thestandard K.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The potatoes to be plantedare placed in the hdpper, and the bottom board thereof is adjusted so asto cause the potatoes to be fed into the box L. As the machine is drawnacross the field the plowman causes the shovel or furrow-opener G toopen the furrow in advance of the spout, and the wheel 0 rotates byfrictional contact with the earth and imparts oscillating motion to theblock S by reason of the pitman and the crank-arms with which the wheeland the shaft of the block are provided. As said block oscillates in thelower side of the boxL it causes the stirrer arm or blade to oscillatelongitudinally, and thereby cut the potatoes into pieces of suitable.size to be planted. As each end of the oscillating block rises the cutpotatoes fall into the recesses or cups T thereof, and as the end of thesaid block descends the potatoes drop through the spout V into thefurrow. The plowshare, which is arranged on one side of the spout, turnsthe furrow, which completely covers the potatoes, and the wheel T,whichis trailed in rear of the spout, rolls the furrows formed by the plow,as will be readily understood. The spring-plates Xin the hopper preventthe potatoes from choking at the ends of the oscillating block andbecoming mashed and bruised.

In Fig. 5 1 illustrate my invention adapted for use in planting cotton,in which I discard the hopper \V and substitute a smaller hopper, H",therefor. The said hopper H is arranged on the upper side of theblock L,and is provided at its front and rear ends with projecting arms or studsthat engage keepers or staples I",that project from the upper side ofthe box. The bottom of the hopper is provided near its ends withdischargeopenings K, and in the center with a vertical longitudinalslot, U, of suitable length. A central longitudinal groove, M is made inthe upper side of the bottom of the hopper, and in the same fits aseed-slide, N and this slide is provided near its ends with verticaldischarge-openings 0", adapted to register alternately with thedischargeopenings K"; and the center of the slide has an openin P toreceive the upper end of the stirrer or blade.

\Vhen the machine is in motion, the stirrer or blade impartsreciprocating motion to the seed-slide, thereby causing the latter todrop seeds into the spout at each end of the stroke. The stirrer orblade, which projects up through the center of the slide, also acts toagitate the seeds in the hopper and prevents the same from becominglodged.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination, with aplow, of the frame G, attached to the p1ow-beam and projecting laterallytherefrom, the said frame having the hopper, the pivoted adjustablebottom board, Z, and the box L, the shaft R, journaled in thesaid box,the segmental block S, attached to the said shaft and arranged in thebox or cups, the crank-arm F, attached to the inner end of the shaft,the arm Z, having its rear end pivotally attached to the frame G, thesaid arm carrying the wheel 0' and being provided at its front end withthe upturned portion A, bolted to the front end of the plowbcam, theshaft of wheel 0, having the crankarm,and the pitnian connecting thesaid crankarm to the crank-arm F, substantially as described.

2. Thecombination,inaplanter,ofthe frame G, adapted to be attached tothe beam of the plow and having the planting mechanism, the standard K,attached to the outer end of frame G, laterally adjustable thereon, andadapted for the attachment of the furrow-opener, the plates N,connecting the said standard to the frame, and also laterally adjustableon the latter, the arm Z, having its rear end pivotally connected to theframe G, the wheel 0, journaled in the said arm, andactuating-connections between said wheel and the planting mechanism,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a plow, of the frame G, attached to the beamand extending laterally therefrom, the said frame having the plantingmechanism and the furrow-opener, the arm Z, having its rear endpivotally connected to the frame G and having its front end upturned, asat A, and secured to the plowbeam, the wheel O,journaled in arm Z andconnected to the planting mechanism, the guard-arm P, attached to thefront portion of arm Z and to the standard K and extending rearwardl ytherefrom, the frame Sipivoted to the rear end of guard arm, the wheelor roller journaled in the said frame, and the link or loop connectingthe pivoted frame S to one of the plow-handles, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a planter, the frame G, having theparallel beams M and N, adaptedto receive the plow-beam between them, and thereby attach the said frameto the said plow-beam, one of the said beams being adjustable in theframe G, so as to clamp the other beam throughout the length of theclampingbeam, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the hopper, the planting mechanism located at oneend thereof, and the bottom board, Z, arranged longitudinally in thehopper and having its end adjacent to the planting mechanism pivoted,whereby the said board may be inclined and caused to feed the contentsof the hopper to the planting mechanism, substantially as described.

6. The combination of thehopper having the reciprocating seed-slide Nthe oscillating block S, arranged below the slide, and the fulcru medar'in WV,havingits lower end connected to the block S and its upper endengaging the slide, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the hopper having the reciprocating seed slide Nprovided with the opening 1?", the oscillating blocks S, ar-

ranged below the slide, and the fulcrumed arm WV, having its upper endengaging the opening P of the slide and its lower end slotted andengaging a pin projecting from the block S, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the plow, of the frame G, projecting from oneside of the beam and having the planting mechanism, the standard K,attached to the outer end of frame G and having the furrow-opener, theframe S", attached to the plow in rear of the frame G- and having theroller T, and the guard-arm P, attached to the front of theplow beam andto the standard K and frame S", substantially as described. I

9. In combination with the handles, thelink U, depending from thehandles, the wheel or roller T, the pivoted frame S in which the rollerisjournaled and to which the link Uis attached, and the guard-arm P,connecting the frame S to the frame of the machine, as set forth.

10. In combination with the hopper, the planting mechanism located atone end thereof,

the pivoted bottom board, Z, arranged longitudinally in the hopper, andthe catch or projection for supporting the said board in the inclinedposition, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ALEX. GUMMING.

W'itnesses:

E. G. SIGGERs, MYRTLE STALNAKER.

